When Lanafit heard this, she looked up at the sky.
The sun was high—it was around noon.
It seemed early still, but to avoid attracting attention, Lanafit decided to land somewhere less populated.
That would take time, especially to find a place to stay.
Indeed, as Ander had said—it was time to go.
She nodded to Ander, who raised her right index finger and gently tapped the staff in her hand.
A milky white glow radiated from the staff.
Lanafit let go, allowing the staff to fall forward.
However, though it tilted forward, the staff didn’t hit the ground—it hovered horizontally in mid-air, as if held aloft by some unseen force.
Seeing this, Lanafit was quite satisfied and gracefully sat down on it.
Of course, sitting directly on a stick would be horribly uncomfortable.
Fortunately, she wasn’t truly sitting on the staff itself—it was more like being supported by a force field, as if resting on a bench with soft cushions.
This was a type of flight magic that could be applied to anything, including one’s own body.
Sure, flying by herself might have been more efficient.
After all, she was a witch now.
Though witches in this world were quite different from those she’d learned about in her previous world, life still needed a bit of ceremony, didn’t it?
“Our noble and revered Lord, Your devoted Thirty-Fifth servant is about to embark on a journey. Please open the path ahead for her, bless her so she shall not lose her way. She shall become a free bird in Your sky, bringing joy to Your heavens and mercy to Your people.”
With fingers pressed together in front of her chest, Ander offered a sincere prayer.
Suddenly, the mist surrounding the Sky Islands lifted, and a magnificent, luxurious gate appeared on the road ahead.
As Ander finished the final word of her prayer, the grand gate slowly opened.
It looked like a solitary door, standing alone—no walls to either side—making it seem like one could just walk around it.
But in truth, to leave the Sky Islands, one had to pass through that seemingly symbolic gate.
Otherwise, one would become lost, endlessly wandering, only to end up right back at the misty starting point.
Returning was easy—but finding the true way out without that gate was impossible.
“Lanafit, the path has opened. The First Witch has granted you access. From now on, you may enter and leave the Sky Islands freely.”
Looking at the now-opened gate, Ander addressed Lanafit.
Lanafit nodded in response.
“Alright. If you can, please pass along my thanks to the First Witch.”
“I will,” Ander nodded gently and said no more, simply waiting for Lanafit’s departure.
As she thought about the journey ahead, Lanafit couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.
A smile played on her lips as she turned to the others.
“Everyone, thank you for coming to see me off. Don’t worry—once a part of the journey ends, I’ll return for a bit.”
After all, it wasn’t like she was going to circle the world and only come back after everything was done.
Her world tour wasn’t going to be a simple fly-around.
The road underfoot was long, and since that was the case, it wouldn’t hurt to occasionally return to the Sky Islands for a rest.
Sharing her travel stories with Anthera and Roseithe sounded like a lovely idea.
“No! Lanafit, don’t go! Wait—take me with you!”
Roseithe, who had just recovered from the painful face-plant earlier, suddenly lunged forward—but was promptly restrained by Seharei.
Luckily, she was quick—if Roseithe had managed to grab hold, she definitely wouldn’t have let go.
Seharei shuddered at the thought.
That girl was dangerously clingy.
“You maniac, behave yourself! Don’t cause trouble for Lady Anthera!”
Seharei gave Roseithe a sharp kick on her well-rounded behind.
But after that one kick, she seemed deeply shaken—as if something had hit her emotionally—so she followed up with a powerful wrestling slam.
The scuffle made Lanafit hesitate for a moment.
Maybe she should stay just a little longer and watch the show?
Just then, Anthera walked over.
Worry still lingered in her eyes, though she knew there was no stopping Lanafit now.
“Lanafit…”
She wanted to say something, but no words came.
“Don’t worry, Miss Anthera. I’ll be back soon. When I do, I’ll tell you and Roseithe all about the things I’ve seen on the road. I think you’ll find it interesting.”
Lanafit smiled reassuringly at her.
Anthera tried to smile back, but it was clearly a bit forced.
“Alright. Be careful out there. If anything goes wrong, promise me you’ll come to me and Roseithe immediately.”
At that moment, Anthera felt something unfamiliar within herself.
She used to be decisive—quick to act and firm in resolve.
But now… why did she feel so full of worry?
She had known Lanafit for less than two months—a mere blink of an eye in her thousands of years of life.
So why had she become so deeply invested in Lanafit’s affairs?
This question gnawed at her heart, refusing to fade.
But soon, Anthera found her answer.
For thousands of years, she had been unwaveringly loyal to the Demon God—without a single doubt in all things concerning the Divine.
But after Lanafit’s arrival… that absolute loyalty had begun to crack.
Lanafit’s uniqueness had sparked her curiosity.
And through curiosity, she had come to understand more—so much more that she began to question: Why would the Demon God do such things?
It wasn’t until a few days ago, when Ander had said those startling words to her, that Anthera realized—her once unshakable loyalty now carried a flaw.
“Anthera, have you already begun to doubt the will of the Demon God?”
That sentence had become a nightmare, haunting her dreams night after night.
Loyalty, etched into the very fabric of her being, seemed unbreakable—yet in some ways, it was fragile beyond belief.
Her worry for Lanafit’s future… wasn’t it also fear for this new, awakening self?
But now, there was nothing she could do—she could only take things one step at a time.
…
…
“Well then, I’m off~!”
Lanafit looked back at everyone one last time, then guided the hovering staff beneath her, preparing to fly through the gate.
Just then, a pair of hands grasped hers tightly.
“Lanafit! You must—must follow the guidance of the Demon God’s will!”
Anthera gripped Lanafit’s hands, her eyes serious and full of urgency.
Lanafit looked at her, confused.
But after a moment, she nodded.
“Don’t worry, I will… Big Sister Anthera.”
It was the first time she’d ever called Anthera “big sister.”
Among witches, it was common to address one another as sisters.
But in the beginning, Lanafit had felt awkward.
After all, deep down, she still considered herself a man—calling a group of beautiful women “sister” had felt… weird.
But today, for the first time, she said it.
And how to describe it?
It was still kind of embarrassing, honestly…
But she didn’t regret it.
Because Anthera truly felt like a loving older sister—one who cherished her.
And for someone like Lanafit, who had always lacked familial warmth, that meant a lot.
As for Roseithe?
Forget it. No way in this lifetime was she ever going to call her “big sis.”
Hearing Lanafit call her that, Anthera froze for a moment.
Then she smiled and nodded.
“Mm.”
She gently released her grip on Lanafit’s hand and took a few steps back, silently watching her.
“Go on, quickly.”
“Alright then—everyone, I’m going!”
She waved to the group, completely ignoring Roseithe’s wild attempt to lunge at her, which was once again thwarted by Seharei’s iron grip.
Lanafit’s staff rose slowly, lifting her feet off the ground.
A moment later, a strong sense of motion kicked in.
The wind roared past her ears—but thankfully, a magical barrier had been erected in front of her, shielding her from the blast.
Her hair remained unruffled, and she soared through the sky like a shooting star, descending toward the earth below.